Ariosto

I just could not get into this book and didn't finish it. The story moves between the real world of our main character, a put-upon poet for one of the Medici in the 1530s, and his elaborate internal fantasy world where he is a heroic soldier. Too much talk and politics in the 'real world' and the fantasy side is elaborately overwritten (intentionally, to reflect how the character contrasts this with his actual existence). I gave it 56 pages and nothing really happened in either story line. Although there were some indications something would happen, I couldn't bring myself to keep reading due to extreme lack of interest.